This show was a double bill with The Joneses, and featured the first known performance of Love You. The jam before Whipping Post included Low Rider teases. Whipping Post had a lyric changed to "slice my nipple." It has been reported that Fish shaved his entire body for this show!

Show Reviews

Ah Halloween. One of the most storied dates in Phish's history. This show was the second of Phish's three Halloween shows at Goddard while Trey, Page, and Fish were students there. The band did try to play at Goddard in 1985, but had to cancel the appearance after they were...out of sorts...

Co-billing with the Joneses again for Goddard's Halloween show, the start of the first set featured members of the two bands playing together (like they did the year before). Phish actually opens for the Joneses in this show, which just goes to show you how small the band still was. Tapes from this show aren't SBD, but aren't awful hissy quality either. I'd give the spreadsheet source a C+/B-. As they did in the last documented show (10/14), the band segues quite a bit in this show from song to song.

The show starts off with a long jam featuring members of both bands. It definitely sounds like Trey is on the drums at the beginning before moving to the guitar, while the Joneses drummer is playing the main kit. The jam doesn't really have a structure until Trey starts playing and things pick up a bit, with a series of Low Rider teases. The chaos continues in Whipping Post, where Trey references his nipple fetish. The jam here is a bit slowed by the lack of Fishman, who hadn't showed up yet, and it seems like everyone isn't totally in synch yet. After the song, Trey introduces the band as a series of Moseses (maybe the first time that happened?).

A rather short Sneakin Sally moves into an even-shorter Back Porch. Halley's morphs out of Back Porch and features Richard Wright and possibly some other vocalists. Trey sings in falsetto here and it's funny to hear so many vocalists on a Phish song. The jam here slows down and migrates into Light Up, which seems to be synched with the entrance of Fishman, who was body-painted as an elephant. You can see a picture of him here in the Phish Book. You can even hear everyone laughing as Fish appears as the band literally stops playing and everyone is clapping. Amazingly, Fish then launches into Love You. He also attempts to play guitar, and is absolutely awful.

While the Bag is standard, it nicely flows into Possum which is particularly drawn out and features some slow and slinky solos from Page. I really like this YEM. The jam, after coming out of a standard jam, features Trey playing with his pedals and sounding a little like John Abercrombie behind the rest of the band playing a scorching YEM. Eventually Trey emerges and spits fire before a funky B+D. The vocal jam moves into a fiery BBFCFM.

The second set here is not notable for its song versions, but for the meandering between songs. While A-Train was referenced by Trey as being by request and "a song we wrote in the 20s", it slides into a loud and noisy Timber. Despite someone calling for Golgi, the band doesn't play it.

Ok, here is where the weird stuff happens. First, the band plays "The Chase", which moves into I am Hydrogen. This Hydrogen is a Hydrogen With, but Fish adds a very weird swingbeat to it. I don't think it works very well, but it does turn into that swinging Who Do We Do, but only the very first half, before it stops and goes into Clod. Instead of Clod, the band plays Fee. After a fast and short Divided Sky, the band morphs into a peaceful McGrupp, which is very short and contains only the essentials before it too moves seamlessly into the second half of The Chase! This then (like they do now) moves into Clod! It's like someone blew up Fluffhead and scattered it's remains around this show.

After Alumni, the band finally plays Fluffhead, which the audience recognizes and is happy to hear. To end the show, the band plays a solid version of Bowie which teases ACDC Bag a few times. I love the jazzy way the jam starts off here; it's very mellow. Afterwards, Trey introduces the Joneses.

There isn't anything particularly ground-breaking in this show. I would definitely listen to the YEM, but other than that, it is interesting to hear all the bits and pieces of Fluffhead intertwined throughout other songs. Also, if you want to hear something awkward, listen to the Love You and envision a naked, painted Fishman, singing Love You and playing what sounds like elementary school level guitar in front of people who aren't in on the joke. Hilarious.

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